Nevada City, CA – Megan Guarnier of Team TIBCO/To the Top took 2nd place at the Nevada City Classic, a day after she wrapped up the overall omnium title of the Tour de Nez after taking 2nd in the third stage at Northstar at Tahoe.
In Nevada City, Guarnier noted, “the course kind of takes care of itself. There’s normally no need to attack to thin the field.”
Guarnier was still aggressive, staying at the front coming off the main climb so that she could come through the start finish it the 90-degree turn at the bottom on the front. “I wanted to be able to take that turn at my own pace and not have to follow any wheels,” she said. Consequently, she succeeded in taking all the primes for the race.
Despite the course’s natural selectiveness, with five laps to go, there was still a fairly large bunch together. “The group wasn’t as small as I would’ve liked,” she said, “so I attacked.”
Katerina Nash (Luna) countered her move, and Samantha Schneider of Team TIBCO covered with, with Guarnier grabbing Schneider’s wheel on the way past. Guarnier followed another Nash acceleration and the duo were left to battle it out. Nash attacked again on the climb toward the race’s end and got away solo to take the win. Guarnier took second, while Schneider took the bunch sprint for 4th on the day.
Sealing Nez
The previous day, Guarnier and Nash again did battle during the final stage of the Tour de Nez, the Northstar-at-Tahoe Criterium. The hilly, two-mile circuit provided some selection, but it took attacking late in the race to determine the outcome.
It was Nash attacking again late to draw out Guarnier and Janel Holcomb (Argon 18).
“I would drive it on the descents to make sure I was first into the corner at the bottom so I wasn’t following wheels,” Guarnier said. “The last time up the hill, Katerina attacked. I got around Janel and closed on Nash but I couldn’t quite get around her at the line.”
Despite not getting the win, Guarnier earned enough points from her opening prologue victory and 2nd place in Friday’s criterium to win the overall omnium for the three-day race.
Notes
Devon Haskell of Team TIBCO, who finished 2nd to Guarnier in the opening prologue at Nez, suffered a mild concussion in Nez’s second stage and didn’t finish the race. She is, however, expected to be recovered in time for tee U.S. National Championships which start later this week.
